1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sports apparatus and particularly to a sports glove for handling a large ball and particularly a basketball.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous sports games, including basketball, football and rugby, use relatively large balls that are hand handled by players so as to out-maneuver an opponent and score points. A player develops proficient ball handling skills in each sport by learning basic ball handling techniques and by constant and continuing practice of these techniques.
Proper hand positioning on the ball, particularly in the game of basketball, is fundamental to good ball handling technique. Proper hand positioning requires, in part, that a player splay his hand(s) to cover the widest surface area of the ball as possible. The more a player maximizes the span of his hand(s), and thus maximizes the surface area of the ball covered by his hand(s), the more control the player is likely to exert over the ball. Improved ball control enables a player to catch the ball more firmly and maintain possession more often when confronted with other players who attempt to seize control. Proper hand positioning also enables a player to pass or shoot the ball without further hand adjustments and thus without hesitation.
In the overall view of sports gloves, it is also helpful to recognize that finger positioning is recognized as being important in the game of golf. In this regard, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,474,030 and 3,237,950 illustrate sports gloves in which the golfer's fingers are substantially fixedly positioned in what is intended to be a desirable playing position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,269 provides useful background and illustrates a sports glove in which the player's fingers are also fixedly positioned.
Proper hand positioning also improves ball throwing accuracy. For example, in basketball if a player properly splays his hand(s) such that the ball easily rolls centrally over the middle three fingers and so as to finally leave through the player's hand in the same manner, the ball has a better chance of reaching its intended target. A ball that passes to either side of the middle fingers, however, is likely to veer away from the ball's intended target.
Players with small hands are at a disadvantage, especially in basketball, because their hands naturally cover less surface area of a ball than the larger hands of typically larger players. Proper hand positioning is essential for a player with small hands to successfully compete against larger players.
Traditionally, proper hand position is taught by verbal and visual teaching, most often by a coach, and is perfected by continuous practice. However, up to this point, there has been no device that a player can wear that assists players to maximize the span of their hand and thus improve their hand positioning and ball handling skills.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a glove that is worn on a ball player's hand to bias the fingers to a splayed position, so as to improve hand positioning and thus ball handling skills.